Rear-view mirror for large vehicles

ABSTRACT

The rear-view mirror for large vehicles is made up of a case which holds the mirror, articulated to a support which can be fixed to a side of the vehicle. Between the case and the support is a pneumatic cylinder made up of a cylindrical body with two air input apertures and a piston. The end of the cylindrical body is articulated to a point of the case conveniently distant from the support of the same, while the free end of the piston can be seen with a jointed extension inside of the case, the free end of which has an articulated fork at to the projection of the support.

This invention refers to an improved rear-view mirror for largevehicles, for example trains and trains which, operated by the driver,can automatically open or close onto the sides of the vehicle, movementswhich, furthermore, can be done in association with the opening andclosing motion of the doors through which passengers board and alight.

The improved rear-view mirror for large vehicles, in general, applicableto all types of industry, is particularly suited for use with largevehicles and even more specifically for use in large vehicles formed bythe joining of several units, such as, urban or suburban trams or trainsin which it is necessary to watch the movement or access of peoplearound the vehicle. It could also be used on buses, trolleybuses orother similar vehicles.

Rear view mirrors of this type should be designed or fitted withmechanisms which make it easy to access the inside for cleaning ormaintenance, operations which require the intervention and control ofthe pneumatic circuits from the inside of the vehicle by authorisedpersonnel, to facilitate the opening of the mirror, the normal positionof which is folded against the vehicle. This intervention means thatexploitation costs are raised because it requires extra time on the partof the maintenance personnel or the authorised personnel.

The current techniques applied in this type of rear-view mirror can beseen in Utility Model 9500741, by the same applicants, which describes amobile rear-view mirror for large vehicles which can be turnedautomatically to place it parallel or transverse at the side of thevehicle, coinciding with the mirror's positions of closed or openedrespectively and which is made up of a case which holds the mirror,solidly articulated to a support fixed to the corresponding side of thevehicle. Furthermore the rear-view mirror has a rotating device fixed tothe support, the axis of which is situated in the direction of therotation axis of the case and on activating it, using an auxiliarycontrol, the automatic turning of the rear-view mirror occurs, openingor unfolding on the respective side of the vehicle, with just a turn ofthe device needed for the rear-view mirror to be once more foldedagainst the side, the position normally adopted when the vehicle is inmotion. It also has a fixing mechanism which ensures the said foldedposition of the mirror with respect to the support and the side of thevehicle to which it is attached. The system designed in this way isexpensive to manufacture and the turning device used even more so.

The aim of this invention is to perfect and simplify the rear-viewmirrors of the type described and make them more economical with the useof a pneumatic cylinder of the so called linear type, simple or doubleeffect, with which the mirror can be folded or unfolded quickly andeasily, which results in improved operation at lower cost.

It is considered that said objective can be achieved with the entry ofthe improved rear-view mirror for large vehicles, which includes anarticulated case which holds the mirror joined to the support which canbe fixed to the corresponding side of the vehicle, with the case and thesupport joined by means of a pneumatic cylinder, the action of whichprovokes the automatic turning of the case on its support, from a closedor folded position against the same to an unfolded position, whichcoincides with open, or vice versa, and the essential characteristic ofwhich lies in the fact that one end of the pneumatic cylinder isconveniently anchored in an articulated way to the case, while the freeend of the piston is articulated to a projection on the support.

In addition, the invention establishes that the piston of the pneumaticcylinder has a prolongation directed towards the projection of thesupport upon which it moves.

It would also seem evident to underline that the opening or closing ofthe rear-view mirror would normally occur by introducing air from thepneumatic circuit of the vehicle, controlled from the dash board in thecab of the vehicle, although, of course this could be achieved in adifferent way if a different solution to the one described were desired.

It is, furthermore, evident that delimiters or detectors of the end ofthe line or any other limits would be incorporated, given that theopening or closing position of the case on the support should beregulated depending on the position of the driver in his seat.

To better understand what has been described up to now, we are enclosinga set of drawings with this descriptive report in which the preferredproduction of the object of the invention is shown, but in taking adecision it should not be considered that this is to be understood as alimitation of the graphic representation nor, of course, of theparticular characteristics of this application.

In order to permit a better observation of the drawings, it has beendecided to schematise them and not to include elements of the pneumaticsystem other than the pneumatic cylinder itself and the respective airentries. In the same way, it has been decided to simplify therepresentation of the side of the vehicle, indicating it with brokenlines in the diagrams.

FIG. 1 shows, in elevation, the lower part of the improved rear-viewmirror according to the invention, limited above by an auxiliarybreaking line. In the diagram, the case is opened with respect to itssupport.

FIG. 2 shows, seen from above, the portion of the mirror shown in FIG. 1and we can see, more clearly, the case unfolded from he support.

FIG. 3, also from above, shows the part of the mirror shown in FIG. 1,but now we see the case folded against the support and parallel to theside of the vehicle, shown with a broken line.

On observing the figures, it is easy to see that the improved rear-viewmirror for large vehicles is made up of a case (1), which will hold themirror (not shown), articulated to a support (2) fixed to the side ofthe vehicle (3) and between the case (1) and the support (2) a pneumaticcylinder (4), in this example a linear pneumatic cylinder of doubleeffect, which links them.

The pneumatic cylinder (4) is made up of a cylindrical body (5) fittedwith two apertures (6, 7) for air input and a piston (8). The end of thecylindrical body (5) is articulated, at (10), to a point on the case(1), at a convenient distance from the support (2) of same. The free endof the piston (8), we can see, in this example and with the objectivethat the case (1) not be too thick, while it must hold the pneumaticcylinder (4), with a jointed extension (9) inside the case (1) the freeend of which, in the example, has a fork, articulated at (11) to theprojection (12) of the support (2). This fork could be substituted by aplaque or other element to produce the articulation.

Thus we can understand how with the rear-view mirror closed to the sideof the vehicle, or rather, with the case (1) which contains the mirror(not shown) parallel to the support (2) on which it is articulated andthus, more or less parallel Lo the side of the vehicle (3), all we needto do is apply air to the aperture (6) of the cylindrical body (5) ofthe pneumatic cylinder (4) so that the piston (8) moves forward. withrespect to the cylinder (5), and with this movement causes the completeopening of the case (1) with regard to the support (2).

It is evident that to make the rear-view mirror return to its closed orfolded position against the side of the vehicle, air must be forced intothe aperture (7) of the cylindrical body (5) of the pneumatic cylinder(4) and in this way cause the piston (8) to move backwards in thecylindrical body (5) and that this backward movement makes the case (1)holding the mirror fold back against the support (2) and against theside of the vehicle (3) to which it is attached.

What is claimed is:
 1. IMPROVED REAR-VIEW MIRROR FOR LARGE VEHICLES,which includes a case to hold the mirror jointed to a support which canbe fixed to the corresponding side of the vehicle, with the case andsupport related to each other by means of a pneumatic cylinder theaction of which provokes the automatic turning of the case with respectto the support, from a position of being closed or folded against thesame to an unfolded, open position or vice versa, the maincharacteristic of which is the fact that one end of the pneumaticcylinder is conveniently fixed in an articulated manner to the case,while the free end of the piston is articulated to a projection of saidsupport.
 2. IMPROVED REAR-VIEW MIRROR FOR LARGE VEHICLES, in keepingwith the above claim, the main feature of which is that the piston ofthe pneumatic cylinder has an extension orientated towards theprojection of the support on which it articulates.